Recycling has become a mainstay of the world as certain resources have been depleted or the costs associated with harvesting and/or utilization thereof continue to rise. Such a process, however, has proven to be taxing on its own as the costs of collection, transportation, separation, and, ultimately, reintroduction into the stream of commerce have also risen, in some situation even outpacing the benefits of a recycling regimen itself. The potential for a cost-effective recycling procedure with diverse renewable products incorporated into single long-term use materials has not, unfortunately, come to fruition in order to not only aid in providing cleaner environments, but also to provide a more efficient method of recycling and producing post-use goods.
Many products have been developed that are either presented in certain form or packaged in a certain manner so as to provide a material that may be used for an amount of time then discarded. For instance, engine oil is generally introduced within a vehicle until its usefulness as a lubricant for pistons therein has run its course. At such a time, then, the used engine oil is typically collected and either incinerated (thus introducing certain undesirable exhaust into the environment) or stored within a landfill or like location for an indefinite period of time. Such oil-based products, however, harbor a potentially harmful environmental result if it spills or leaches into certain land areas, particularly those including a water shed or like natural impediment. Furthermore, polymeric products (which are, for the most part, petroleum byproducts as well) create further problems in that such materials do not readily degrade over time and/or present suspect pollution potential if degradation actually occurs, particularly near water sources. As is well documented, for instance, there exists a garbage mass in the Pacific Ocean full of varied types of plastic materials and of differing sizes thereof that is, currently, estimated to be the size of Texas. The lack of degradation potential leaves such a mass at the mercy of the ocean, possibly creating minute pieces of polymeric particles that can be ingested by the fish population, thus wreaking havoc on the digestive systems of such animals, but also threatening the food chain. Raffia bags (sturdy bags that include polypropylene fibers and that are used to transport and store various solid chemicals, as an example) have proven rather difficult to utilize after as few as a single transport action; such “supersacks” (as they are also known) are susceptible to tearing during rough actions during use. Remedying such issues have proven more troublesome and potentially more expensive than having brand new bags produced and purchased for such purposes. Thus, these types of articles have proven difficult to dispose of properly and thus have also contributed highly to such problems. Millions of such bags of generally provided and used once before discarding. As with most polymeric products, these are also difficult to degrade and take up a great deal of space in landfills and the like.
Paper products, a list of which could last for pages, also contribute significantly to landfills and other like places. Additionally, however, many coated paperboard products are not typically recycled due to the presence of wax coatings on the surface, thus creating an obstacle to the overall process. Even without a wax coating, however, such paperboard products (including cardboard, pizza delivery boxes, moving boxes, etc.) are rather difficult to transport to recycling centers, let alone actually incorporate into recycling processes. The costs to properly break down such products and then reconstitute the same into viable new goods are very high, as well.
Wood products are also of the type that are rarely recycled, particularly since there is a strong timber industry and new wood resources are not in danger. However, the introduction of rather large wood products (furniture, chip board, oriented strand board, etc.) into landfills is rather significant. As a base organic material, such wooden-based goods may degrade over time, certainly, but the sheer size of such items contributes greatly to landfill space and, for lack of a better word, ultimately goes to waste, rather than for a post-consumer market. The ability to utilize components of such large materials within a recycling system of any sort has been limited to, for instance, sculpture or like artistic endeavors utilizing discarded wooden parts. Otherwise, there is lacking a definitive end use beyond the life of, for instance, a furniture piece or like article. Furthermore, certain upholstery and/or clothing includes fibers and fabrics that may be utilized, at least in theory, for other purposes, particularly such fabrics that are attached to discarded furniture. In any event, such materials are also typically not recycled once their usefulness as a garment, cover, curtain, etc., has ended. Landfills, and other like locations, thus exhibit rather significant amounts of natural fibers, such as cotton, jute, etc., as well as synthetic types, such as nylon, polyester, etc., yarns and fibers (not to mention, again, fabrics of all such fibers, both as single fiber types and blends thereof) from discarded articles, too. The potential for utilization of discarded wood-based materials and/or fabrics within recycling procedures has not been undertaken, particularly in relation with other types of materials for post-consumer production schemes.
As such, it is evident that the importance of recycling efforts, even with items that are not typically or traditionally associated with such processes and systems, to alleviate large amounts of landfill quantities, for the purpose of providing cost-effective materials of any sort, has yet to be provided.